Mona Lisa: Limited Edition – Arrow Video (4K UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: UK, 1986
Director: Neil Jordan
Writers: Neil Jordan, David Leland
Cast: Bob Hoskins, Cathy Tyson, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Caine, Clarke Peters, Joe Brown, Perry Fenwick

Release Date: May 11th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 103 Minutes 51 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £29.99 (UK)

"Five years after The Long Good Friday, Bob Hoskins returned to the gangster genre, but his character George is a mere underling this time, a chauffeur hired by a mesmerizingly slimy gangland kingpin (Michael Caine) to transport a high-class prostitute (Cathy Tyson) from client to client. When she enlists his help in tracking down an old friend, George finds himself exploring a hellish underworld that he never imagined existed." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Mona Lisa was exclusively restored by Arrow Films. The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 4K resolution. The film was restored in 4K resolution and graded in HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Scanning, grading, and picture resolution were completed at Silver Salt Restoration, London. All materials for this restoration were made available by Handmade Films via the BFI."

Mona Lisa comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 82.3 GB

Feature: 72.8 GB

This new 4K transfer is a massive improvement over this film’s previous home media releases. The most noticeable area of improvement is image clarity, especially during darker scenes. Flesh tones look healthy; colors are nicely saturated; contrast, black levels, image clarity, and compression are solid; and the image always retains an organic look.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 32 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with screenwriter David Leland (19 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with producer Stephen Wooley (13 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with director Neil Jordan (19 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with actor Bob Hoskins and Neil Jordan, reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and a 20-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay tilted Mona Lisa written by Mike Sutton, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Neil Jorden directed Mona Lisa. He’s known for Company of Wolves, The Crying Game, and Interview with the Vampire.

Recently released from prison, George collects a favor from an old friend who gets him a job as a call girl’s driver. What begins as a routine job quickly spirals into chaos when George decides to assist the call girl he has been driving around in her search for a missing friend. Will he manage to find her friend, or will they both become entangled in a dangerous underworld where life holds little value?

If ever there was a film whose title perfectly summarizes what the film is all about, then Neil Jordan’s Mona Lisa would be such a candidate. And just like the painting by Leonardo da Vinci, which bears a smile that has fascinated everyone who has laid their eyes upon it, perception plays an integral role in the story that unfolds in Neil Jordan’s film.

Mona Lisa starts as a tale of a protagonist attempting to escape his old habits, but by the time its shocking conclusion arrives, it transforms into something completely different. The protagonist ultimately realizes that he will continue to fall into the same traps as long as he allows others to exploit him.

Content-wise, Mona Lisa incorporates many elements commonly associated with films about underworld crime. However, these elements serve primarily as superficial embellishments rather than integral components of the film's message. Consequently, the overall effect leans more toward a drama than a thriller.

The cast are excellent in their respective roles; there are three performances in particular standing out above everyone else and equally deserving of recognition. Bob Hoskins (The Long Good Friday) plays the film’s protagonist, George, while Cathy Tyson (The Serpent and the Rainbow) portrays Simone, a high-priced call girl whom George is tasked with driving to her various clients. Later on in the film, her character convinces George to help her find her missing friend, who is also a call girl and underage. The last of these three performances is Michael Caine (Dressed to Kill) in the role of a sleazy crime boss named Mortwell.

From a production standpoint, there is not a single area where Mona Lisa does not excel. The pacing is consistently strong, and the visuals remain impressive throughout. Although Mona Lisa features many visually striking moments, none are as shocking as the explosive finale. Ultimately, Mona Lisa is a captivating melodrama that quickly draws you in and whose finale stays with you.

Mona Lisa gets an excellent release from Arrow Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer